Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-12
ECONOMY IS WEALTH.
HOW RESPECTABILITY IS SUSTAINED
 ON $15 A MONTH.

ON $15 A MONTH.
 Facts About Financiers of the Pacific
 Coast-How the Habit of Close Econo-
 my Is Acquired-A Millionafre's .stra-
 tegic Generosity.
 Half dozen gentlemen in the office of the Palace hotel were talking the other evening in San Francisco. An old resident who owns houses by the block and lots by the acre, and is himself regarded as champion economist, remarked that good deal of the talk about the extravaganza of the San Francisco com munity was fiction.
 "I'm inclined to think" said the thrifty capitalist, "that there are just as many eco nomical people in San Francisco as any town ill the country. How do you account for the immense deposits in the local savings banks if the community a community is not strictly economical!'
 q don't quite agree with you," said well known young grain speculator who has made and lost millions without being very percep- tibly affected thereby. "I think the com munity as a community is reckless in it's estimate of the value of money, but there are no doubt as notable examples of economy to be met with in San Francisco as in any city in the Union. Every poineer knows =, .4 examples well preserved man with gray beard, neatly brushed clothes and shining silk hat. In early days he was we'll to do young jeweler and saved his money, so that he will never need the assistance of his society to appease his undertaken. He began years ago to cut down his living expenses as matter of principle, and now, when he's old and comparatively comfortable, he has got it down so fine that the sum of Sl5 month supports him."
 HOW HE MANAGES IT.
 "How does he do it? We'll in the first place he has hunted up a room on the top of Telegraph hill, where he has to ascend by a rope ladder. The marine view is excellent, but the work of getting up is frightful Still he doesn't mind, for the rent is only S4 0 month. He blacks his own shoes, slaves himself and walks down town to breakfast, making sure that the establishment which he patronizes is able to supply square meal to a healthy man for fifteen cents Before he orders he makes it point to devastate the pickle jar, sweep the table of bread and crackers, radishes, beets or anything else furnished gratis. Then he wades into his modest order, and after demolishing that strolls up to read the papers at the Pioneer hall. He always carries his overcoat thrown loosely over his shoulders, as the common practice of thrusting the arms into the sleeves has wearing tendency He invari- ably spreads couple of newspapers over his chair in the reading room, so that the cane seats may not too suddenly remove the nap of his already long worn but we'll preserved pantaloons. He has patent for hanging up his hat so that it will lose none of its beauty of outline by contact with the wall, and when he dusts it he invariably uses his hand kerchief, @ brush being calculated to shorten it's term of service. He could afford to live at the rate of $500 month, so that he will fully puts in the savings bank at his time of life, and without having any family to leave his savings to, some s2S5."
 "A good many rich people who made their own money make themselves appear mean without suspecting it or being really as par simonious as they seem," remarked full blooded cattle king. "They got into the habit of driving close bargains when they were poor, and it used to be necessary as well as a matter of principle with them to sec that they weren't cheated. They seem to forget, though, that what looks all right with hard working man on a small salary or his wife, isn't quite the correct thing with the same man or his wife when they have 20,OOO,00O or $30,00O,OOO. Now there was -'s wife and daughter. The market people used to talk about them in a way that would paralyze them if they only heard it, and all on account of their mistaken ideas of what they had a right to do. Most ladies in their position give their market orders and wait till the bills come in to see what the meat is a pound.
 ON A MARKETING TOUR
 t'These millionaire ladies used to 20 round the stalls some time ago on a regular mar- keting tour, and display the same keenness about the price of porterhouse steaks and po- tatoes per pound as if few bits more or less were matters of vital importance. used to hear the marketmen comment on them, but l knew that it wasn't pure meanness as SUD- posed. It was just a mistaken idea that it was good American horse sense and com- mendable smartness to go and hassle with several butchers instead of picking out a good, honest man who sold prime meat, and telling him as wealthy lady should gra- ciously do to send up so much beef or mutton or whatever. she wanted without inquiring about the market prices of the day. Of course, the patronas of such 8 customer would be worth keeping, and an honest and competent butcher would take pains to see that she got the best in the market and at market rates. Of late the ladies alluded to have ceased to visit the markets altogether, and, like other rich people, order through servant"
 "You are right about rich people being both mistaken and misjudged," said prom inent bond and stock broker. eff man is worth a hundred thousand dollars they say he's got @ million at least, and if he is at all saving when he has got million they say he is miser and starves himself. There was -, who was rigid economist and great money maker. They said his death was caused by trying to climb over the grave yard fence where his parents are buried, in Germany, and thus beat the gatekeeper out of fee of five cents. That showed the pub lie estimate of his economy. Yet know the man had O soft spot in his heart 0ne time I told him about widow lady, whose hus- band he used to know years before, when they were we'll off, The woman was about starving, and he promised to do something for her. A few days after he saw her going up Market street, near the new city hall, and and taking five $20 pieces out of his pocket he wrapped them in a piece of paper, and walking up to her said: Good morning, Mrs. -; you dropped this package The woman protested that she had lost no S2O pieces, either wrapped up or loose She would know if she had, she said. He insisted, however, that she had, and compelled her to take the money and use it as her own.'
 "You can advertise it," said he, eff you like, though I'm sure you dropped it your self. If it turns out, though, that I'm mis- taken, send the owner to me and I'll settle with him. ."-San Francisco Chronicle